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A ball-playing centre-back was seen as key to that approach as Mourinho finally looked for answers to please critics of his tactics.

However, Woodward ultimately failed Mourinho by refusing to sign either Alderweireld or Maguire.

Mourinho has since failed to solve his defensive woes, even experimenting with Ander Herrera at the back, and could now end up playing the same lacklustre football he received criticism for last season as a result.

Alderweireld has since rediscovered his best from at Tottenham.

And Maguire, who has impressed for Leicester early on, recently opened up on United’s interest.

“Obviously going into a World Cup - if we were successful, as we [England] were - there were always going to be players who came under interest,” he said.